I spent most of my early career in IT—first in IT operations, running around fixing people’s printers and setting up email accounts, and later in corporate IT sales. Let me tell you, the sales gig wasn’t bad. Wearing tailored suits, dining at fancy restaurants, sipping wine on the company’s dime—that was a vibe. But that’s not the point of this story.
Then life threw a curveball. My wife, our cat, and I packed up and moved to Canada. New country, new market, new language. Fun times, right? Not so much.
Reality Check: Starting Over
When I landed here, I figured I’d keep climbing the ladder in corporate IT sales. I thought I was damn good at it. The market thought otherwise. Competitive as hell, and let’s be honest, my accent and shaky confidence in English didn’t exactly scream “top closer.”
So, I ate some humble pie. Took a crappy customer support job, clocked in, clocked out, and sat down at night wondering: what’s next?
The Three Choices
In my 30s, I had three paths in front of me:
- Stick with IT Operations: Climb the ladder to middle management, maybe a cushy “IT Service Supervisor” title. But in this field, your value is tightly tied to the company you work for. Lose the job, and you’re back to square one.
- Double Down on IT Sales: Start over as an Inside Sales grunt. Cold calls, crappy pay, maybe a chance to climb again. But it also meant driving—something I hate—with no guarantees I’d even make it.
- Reinvent Myself in Software Engineering: A field I’d been drawn to since high school but never committed to. The perks were undeniable: good pay, flexibility, and a career path that wasn’t chained to a single company. But I knew the grind would be real.
The choice was obvious: Software Engineering.
Why I Chose This Path
I won’t sugarcoat it—starting over wasn’t easy. I failed many times, gave up more times than I can count, but kept coming back. And looking back now, I know I made the right choice.
Here’s why:
- Work-Life Balance: I work from home, see my kids grow up, and spend time with my family. That’s priceless.
- No Commutes: No more public transit in rush hours.
- Flexibility in Growth: In software engineering, you’re not stuck. Work somewhere for a couple of years, move on, get a raise, repeat.
- Decent Pay: Enough to live comfortably and plan for the future.
- The Tech Geek in Me: I’ve always been a geek—sci-fi, hacking, computers, movies, you name it. This career lets me embrace that side of myself fully.
Where I Am Now
Fast forward to today:
- I have a job I enjoy.
- My wife is learning frontend development (proud husband moment).
- I can tackle personal projects or switch jobs to keep things fresh.
- I feel like I’m finally in an industry where I belong.
If you asked me in 2025 if I’d make the same choice, I’d say yes without hesitation.
What About You?
If you’re in software engineering—or thinking about jumping in—what do you love about it? Maybe it’s the flexibility, the problem-solving, or just the sheer nerdy joy of building something that works. Whatever it is, drop a comment and share.
Cheers to coding, geeking out, and building a life you love.
Leave a Reply